- Petavius (crater)
lunar crater data
latitude=25.3
N_or_S=S
longitude=60.4
E_or_W=E
diameter=177 km
depth=3.4 km
colong=300
eponym=Denis Petau Petavius is a large lunar
impact crater located to the southeast of theMare Fecunditatis , near the southeastern lunar limb. Attached to the northwest rim is the smaller crater Wrottesley. To the southeast are Palitzsch, Vallis Palitzsch, and Hase. Further to the north is the large crater Vendelinus. Petavius appears oblong when viewed from theEarth due to foreshortening.The outer wall of Petavius is unusually wide in proportion to the diameter, and displays a double-rim along the south and west sides. The height of the rim varies by as much as 50% from the lowest point, and a number of ridges radiate outward from the rim. The convex crater floor has been resurfaced by
lava flow, and displays arille system named the "Rimae Petavius". The large central mountains are a prominent formation with multiple peaks, climbing 1.7 kilometers above the floor. A deep fracture runs from the peaks toward the southwest rim of the crater.Rev. T. W. Webb described Petavius as,
:"one of the finest spots in the Moon: its grand double rampart, on east side nearly convert|11000|ft|m|abbr=on. High, its terraces, and convex interior with central hill and cleft, compose a magnificent landscape in the lunar morning or evening, entirely vanishing beneath a Sun risen but halfway to the meridian."
The most favorable time for viewing this feature through a
telescope is when the Moon is only three days old. By the fourth day the crater is nearly devoid of shadow.70cm
radar images of this crater and its surroundings show that the region of the surface beyond the wide outer of Petavius has a dark halo, characteristic of a smooth surface free of boulders. It is thought that this may have been created by radial outbursts during the original impact that swept the area "clean".Petavius B to the north-northwest of Petavius has a small
ray system that lies across the surface of Mare Fecunditatis.atellite craters
By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater mid-point that is closest to Petavius.
References
*Rev. T. W. Webb, "Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes", rev. 6, Dover, 1962, ISBN 0-486-20917-2.
*Ghent and others, "Properties of Lunar Crater Ejecta from New 70 cm Radar Observations", 2004, Lunar & Planetary Science 35; #1879.External links
* cite web
last = Wood | first = Chuck | date = May 26, 2005
url = http://www.lpod.org/LPOD-2005-05-26.htm
title = A New Kind of DHC
publisher = Lunar Photo of the Day
accessdate = 2005-05-26
* cite web
last = Wood | first = Chuck | date = December 12, 2006
url = http://www.lpod.org/?m=20061212
title = Trenchent Observations of a Trench
publisher = Lunar Photo of the Day
accessdate = 2006-12-12
* cite web | last = Wood | first = Chuck
date = February 21, 2007
url = http://www.lpod.org/?m=20070221
title = The Hase–Petavius Rille
publisher = Lunar Photo of the Day
accessdate = 2007-02-21
* cite web
last = Wood | first = Chuck | date = November 20, 2007
url = http://www.lpod.org/?m=20071120
title = Limb Gift
publisher = Lunar Photo of the Day
accessdate = 2007-11-20
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